Aramark changes on the way!

According to our readers, the canteen arrangements within prisons has been a highly contentious issue for prisoners for many years. Numerous letters of complaint have been received and several published, asking questions relating to the pricing policy, consistency across the estate and the range of items available. In fairness, some of these questions have been answered and, much to our surprise, the Prison Service took full responsibility for the prices charged to prisoners. In spite of the responses we have managed to obtain and publish, we are aware that our readers have never been fully satisfied by them. But changes are at last on the way. Inside Time went to HMPS Headquarters and met with Vincent Godfrey, Head of Procurement, and Charlotte Dodden, head of Special Procurement. Both were fully aware of the comments that had been published in Inside Time and the rather negative responses that had come from Inside Times 2006 Prisoners Survey. These comments had been taken into account in the planning of the new contracting arrangements, together with a great deal of consultation around the estate. The key factors were: Prices, level and consistency Variety of brands Accuracy of ordersOf course security also needed to be considered at every stage to reflect the requirements of the different categories of prisons. In the consultations, many suggested that with home deliveries becoming commonplace outside, perhaps Tesco or Sainsburys should be offered the contract to supply prisons nationwide. On this point we were assured that none of the supermarket chains were interested. The spending of the whole prison population, we were told, is equivalent to only 50% of one typical Tesco convenience store. And with many of the items generally purchased by prisoners being the low profit or even no profit (loss leader) items, the prospect of supplying to the prison estate was considered commercially unattractive. With supermarket chains out of the running as potential suppliers, the prisoners standard plea through our mailbag pages of why cant we have the buy one get one free (BOGOF) offers like everyone else are set to continue. Supermarkets are well aware that whilst many of their customers take advantage of these seemingly attractive offers they will be paying any savings back when they pass through another aisle and, on impulse, grab something that is not so cheap! Realising that prisoner shoppers are not going to pick up their BOGOF packets of biscuits and shampoo and then go off browsing for a few bottles of over-priced Australian Chardonnay, much as they would like to I am sure, they are not likely to change their stance and ever extend their delivery service into prisons.
The Prison Service team responsible for the new re-contracting arrangements therefore had no choice but to disregard the supermarket chains altogether and plan around continuing to work independently with contractors. However they acknowledged the fact that they could still make some other positive changes.

The new service that is currently being finalised, and due to be introduced in 2008, will be based on a hub and spoke model, much the same as the way parcel courier services work. Ten or twelve prisons will be designated as distribution hubs and they will each be responsible for supplying a specific number of prisons (the spokes) in their particular geographical area. Deliveries will come directly to the hub store and prisoners will be employed to pick and pack consignments for the neighbouring prisons. A positive element of this is of course the additional work opportunities there will be for prisoners in these picking and packing units.

This will also be the case in the spokes where prisoners can again benefit from some purposeful activity. It was acknowledged that simplification of the forms and price consistency could easily be rectified.

It has often been said that things were better in the days of the prison shop, but because of security the way forward will still involve a form being completed by a prisoner, although hopefully a simpler version can be introduced this time around. It is also hoped that there will be scope for value brands on items where brand names are not likely to be important, especially when the contents are the same or very similar. An example given was Lynx deodorant, which we are told is also available under the name of Axe in other parts of Europe. Apart from perhaps having to mentally cope with seeing your new cellmate ordering an Axe, this would seem to be another positive step.

The Prison Service is very clear about the fact that the prices charged for items will have to cover the costs incurred providing the service, as they are unable to absorb these additional overheads within their budgets. This perhaps shifts the debate from the prices charged by Aramark and/or other contractors involved in the future plans (which are in fact dictated by the Prison Service anyway) to the two areas that could be addressed by Government:

1. Prisoners earnings to keep pace with inflation. 2. Provide more opportunities for prisoners to work in prisons and be able to earn more.

SHOPPING PRICE CHECK

Aramark Tesco TOBACCO Golden Virginia 12.5g 2.83 2.76 Amber leaf 12.5.g 2.55 2.48 B&H 20s 5.44 5.29 Marlborough 20s 5.44 5.31 Liquorice papers 0.35 0.27 Filters 100 0.74 0.65 Disposable lighter 0.55 0.59 TOILETRIES Dove 100g 0.71 0.47 Bodywash*250ml 500ml * 2.34 * 1.96 Radox Shower Gel 250ml 1.99 1.48 Lynx Shower Gel 250ml 2.23 1.82 Lynx Styx Deodrant 2.30 1.65 Clearasil Cleanser 200ml 3.69 2.78 E45 Cream 50g 1.85 1.65 VO5 shampoo 250ml 2.08 1.92 Brylcream 150ml 3.14 2.97 Ultrabrite 50ml 0.49 0.35 Sensodyne 45ml 2.17 1.79 Wisdom Toothbrush 1.56 1.26 Addis Toothbrush 0.49 0.21 Mach lll Razor Blades 4pk 5.51 4.79 Mach lll Razor 5.69 4.99 Gillette Blue ll *(5s) (10s) * 1.72 * 2.82 Palmolive shaving cream 1.86 0.87 Gillette Shave Gel 2.19 1.97 Rennie Tablets *(12) (24) * 1.86 * 1.89 Cotton Buds 0.59 0.35 Cotton wool roll/balls 200g 1.05 0.45 Toilet freshner 0.52 0.35 Loo roll *(x2 ) (x4 ) * 0.79 * 0.38 DRINKS Still mineral water 1.5lt 0.80 0.59 Fruit juice (average) 1.00 0.65 Robinsons SF Barley Water 1.19 1.09 500ml Lucozade Orange 0.99 0.65 Coca Cola/diet 1.5lt 1.55 1.45 Nescafe 100g 2.03 1.99 Tetley Teabags 40 0.95 0.79 PG Tips 40 1.08 0.79 Fruit tea bags (20 average) 1.50 0.65 GROCERIES Ambrosia Rice 425g 0.68 0.53 Tuna chunks in brine 185g 0.87 0.85 Choc Digestives 500g 1.00 0.83 McVities Digestives 400g 0.92 0.75 McVities Rich Tea 300g 0.75 0.65 Kelloggs Cornflakes 500g 1.73 1.59 Cheerios 375g 1.99 1.78 Oat so simple Variety 1.55 1.42 HS Clear honey 454g 2.79 1.29 Squeezy Honey 340g 2.14 1.42 HP Brown Sauce 285g 1.19 0.68 STATIONERY A4 refill pad 0.99 0.55 Envelopes Small Pk 20 0.43 0.26 Writing pad small 0.43 0.35 SUNDRIES Fairy non bio powder 2.99 2.49 Solid air freshener 0.99 0.85 Crunchie 0.38 0.35

The prices of 125 items were compared and 58 were found to be more expensive on prison canteen lists than in supermarkets such as Tesco. Research conducted by Lucy (secret shopper) Charman